Fabric feeding system



Sept 13, 1938. s. COHN I FABRIC FEEDING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 24, 1935 f ATTORN ,S

,Sept. 13, 1938. s. COHN FABRIC FEEDING SYSTEM Filed April 24, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 wfi ATTORN EYS Patented Sept. 13, 1938 UNETED STATES PATENT 0FFICE FABRIC FEEDING SYSTEM Samuel Cohn, New York, N. Y., assignor to Samcoe Holding Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 24, 1935, Serial No. 17,934

13 Claims.

This invention relates to the handling of tubular fabrics, and particularly to the feeding of tubular knitted fabrics to the rolls or other handling means of wringers, driers, finishers and the like.

Such mechanisms may be used at various stages in treatment of the cloth, and it is vital in the operation of the apparatus closely to predetermine the condition of the fabric as it enters the treatment step. Any slightest irregularity at this point is likely to be exaggerated and set beyond recovery.

Many attempts have been made to carefully guide and constrain the material, and evenly stretch it crosswise as it progresses toward feed rolls over a preliminary stretching means, the purpose being to establish the transverse lines of the material precisely straight and parallel and carry it into the rolls in this condition.

I have found that tubular goods, and particularly knitted material, does not lend itself to handling in this manner because it is impossible to maintain the handling conditions constant from point to point, and any slightest change is immediately met by a corresponding shift.

of the fabric, the very nature of which causes it to respond by a redistribution of its loop structure.

To overcome this and to avoid the consequent distortion in the cloth, the object of this invention is to provide a spreading, guiding and. feeding control which will utilize the responsive character of the knitted material itself to present it to the subsequent feeding or treating means with the fabric smooth and unwrinkled,

and with its transverse lines accurately conditioned for entry into the rolls.

I. have found that this knitted material in its tendency to warp its structure uniformly toward a point of tension will on reversal of the direction of the stress gradually pass through intermediate conditions which may be controlled to give the desired formation of the material at the entrance to the rolls. The tendency of the tension of the rolls on tubular fabric is to draw it lengthwise and to narrow it, and when this narrowing is resisted, I have discovered that the resulting response of the fabric tends to draw the center portions ahead faster than the side edges. A transversely alined condition of the fabric sufilciently in advance of the rolls will, therefore, automatically destroy itself as the fabric is drawn into the bite.

In the system of thisinvention the guiding and feeding of the material is such as to impress upon it a preliminary counter-stress automati cally adjusting itself .to tension the fabric just opposite to the roll effect. As the material enters the rolls, the counter-strain is balanced and progressively overcome by the pull of the rolls and the transverse lines pass into the exact condition required for proper gripping of the fabric.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention Fig. 1 is a plan view of the fabric on the stretching means as it passes toward the rolls,

Fig. 2 is a view of the supporting and driving mechanism for the rolls and the preliminary feed and stretcher,

Fig. 3 is a transverse Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a. similar section on line 4-5 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a similar section on line 5-5 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the action of the preliminary feeding means, and

Fig. '7 is a side view of the rolls and the preliminary feeding and stretching means.

In the specific embodiment shown in the drawings, the tubular knit fabric F is stretched over the front spreader and passed over the propeller castings II, II on each side and then along the rear spreader bars l2 to the rolls l3. The spreader as a whole is supported by the driven rolls [4, l4 grooved to fit the propeller rollers l5, l5 mounted in castings I I. Each set of three rollers 15 on each side has the axes of its rollers set on the arc of a circle concentric with the corresponding roll M, and the peripheries of the rollers I5 are convex to fit the groove of the mating roll I4 though, of course, the convexity and concavity may be reversed. The side frames 20 rotatably support the transverse drive shaft 2| and the achusting screw rod 22 connected at their center portions by bridge block l9 with relation to which they are freely rotatable. Supporting brackets 23 slide freely on shaft 2| and are threaded to rod 22 and carry the bevel gears 24 slidably keyed to shaft 2| and held to the brackets by the side arms 25. The rolls N have their shafts 26 journaled in the upper arms of brackets 23, and at their lower ends these shafts 2B carry the bevel gears 21 meshing with the bevel gears 24. The brackets 23 are thus transversely adjustable and rotatably carry the driven rolls M with them, and these rolls in turn support the spreader castings II which may be correspondingly adjusted to section on line 3--3 of different widths, Castings II of the spreader carry the front spreader Ill and the rear spreader rods I2 and are connected transversely by the crossbar 29 and tube 30, and are held rigid in adjusted relation by the set screw 3I.

The rolls I4 are driven in predetermined timed relation to rolls I3 by bevel gears 24, 21, and shaft 2|; driven in, turn from variable speed drive 35 driven by chain 36 from a shaft 31 of one of the rolls I3. The variable speed drive 35 continuously varies the relative speed of shaft 2I as the hand wheel 38 is turned and shaft 2| and rolls I4 may thus be run at any desired speed with relation to rolls I3.

I have discovered that by positively feeding the side edges of the fabric on the stretcher at a point on each side intermediate the ends of the stretcher a controlled distortion may be superposed on the fabric such as to be exactly counteracted by the subsequent progress of the fabric to the rolls. The fabric under this control arrives at the rolls with precisely alined transverse lines, and this alinement is automatically maintained by the feed so long as the characteristics of the fabric remain unchanged.

As shown in Fig.- 1 the tubular fabric may be first put under a transverse stretching tension by the front spreader I 0. This imposes a side drag on the edge portions and leaves the center free, and since the feeding tension is distributed over the width of the fabric the center portions will lead and cause the transverse lines a of the fabric to arc convexly toward the rolls I3. This condition maintains until the side rolls I4 are reached. These rolls I4 have their peripheries set in corresponding concavities in the spreader castings II so as to contact with the fabric over an arc of approximately 60. The vertical thickness of the spreader is also increased at this point to cooperate in providing a large area of contact of the side edges of the fabric with the peripheries of the rolls I4. Anti-friction rollers I5 are also preferably provided reducing the drag or resistance of the stationary spreader parts at this point.

The side edges of the fabric are thus made to conform in shape and rate of progress to the roll peripheries. These side edges up to this point have progressively fallen further and further behind the center portions so that the convexities of transverse lines a have tended to increase. Now, however, under the system of this invention the side portions may be gripped and set forward at an increased rate, the increase being determined by variable speed drive 35 to not only bring the side portions up with the corresponding center portions of the fabric but to carry them ahead to provide a predetermined lead b of the side portions as the fabric proceeds toward the rolls I3. The transverse lines designated of the fabric, between rolls I4 and I3 are, therefore, concave toward the rolls I3 and by controlling and progressively modifying this concavity the transverse lines are brought into precisely desired alinement at the nip of the rolls I3.

The fabric on its way from rolls I4 to the rolls I3 is subjected to a side drag of the spreader castings II and rods I2, and at the same time is pulled forward by rolls I3 with a distributed tension which due to the inherent characteristics of the knitted cloth tends to make the fabric feed ahead at the center portions. Both of these influences act gradually to lessen the concavity of the transverse lines 0, and these lines progressively straighten out as the nip of the rolls I3 is approached.

By balancing the concavity imparted by the rolls I4 against the convexity resulting from the subsequent feed, the fabric is brought between the rolls I3 in exactly desired regular alinement of the loop structure.

These balanced controls also tend to be selfadjusting and corrective of any irregularities. As diagrammed in Fig. 6 the effect of the roll I4 feed is to draw out any irregular wrinkles and develop an intentional regulated wrinkling d at the edges of the fabric immediately succeeding these rolls; then the subsequent feed causes these to disappear and gradually rearranges the fabric loop structure across the entire width.

The fabric flattens slightly as it enters the nip of the rolls I3 and there is a tendency to draw on the side edges. In case this or the pull of the rolls I3 should cause any lagging of the side edges, the brush rolls 44 may be used to feed these edge portions forward and maintain the transverse alinement of the structure as it passes into the bite of the rolls I3. These brush rolls 44 are carried by brackets 53 slidably mounted on transverse drive shaft and having threaded connection with the threaded adjusting rod 52. Each bracket 53' also carries the meshing spiral gears 54, 51, the former having a sliding spline connection with drive shaft 5| and the latter mounted on shaft 56 of brush roll 44. Drive shaft 5I is driven from shaft 31 by the variable speed drive 55 and has its'speed varied with respect to rolls I3 by the hand wheel 58 of said drive. Normally the speed of shaft 5| will be such as to give a peripheral speed of the brush rolls 44 greater than the peripheral speed of rolls I3, the amount of the excess being that required to bring the transverse fabric lines in proper alinement for entry into the rolls I3.

With many fabrics and particularly wet fabrics, the brush rolls 44 will not be used and similarly dead bar 60 connecting the ends of rear spreader rods I2 may be omitted and the fabric may be fed into the nip of the rolls I3 without this bar, and without the rear spreader rods I2.

The spreader I0 may be modified or omitted altogether and the shapes and proportions of the driving rolls I4 may be widely varied with corresponding modification of the cooperating rollers I5. Inclined or vertically surfaced rolls may be substituted with separate means for supporting the interior structure in relation to the edge drive rolls. The interior parts including the castings II and connecting means form a unit fitting within the fabric and acting to distend it while the engaging and supporting side rolls II slide the fabric along this interior mandrel. The device takes wet or dry material in rope form and straightens it out while continuously feeding it over the interior mandrel structure which gives it the precisely desired distention. The side grooved rolls I5 both support the fabric being propelled and provide the propulsion, the interior mandrel structure freely floating in the grooves of these rolls.

The feed of this invention is widely adaptable to iinishingwringing, drying, pressing and other treating operations, and may be inserted at any intermediate stage of the handling of the tubular goods wherever accurate control of the material is desired. The space between the main edge drive rolls I4 and the subsequent feeding mechanism such as transverse rolls I3 may be varied but-suflicient distance between these should be maintained to allow the fabric to have at least a slight lead at the sides and to modify this by the center pull before the later stage is reached.

The apparatus is simple and inexpensive concentrating the control at the edge portions and leaving substantially the entire fabric surface free for observation. Very precise regulation may be maintained enabling the cloth to enter the transverse rolls without the slightest distortion and thus setting the loop structure evenly and with all portions of the fabric in correct relation .to each other.

I claim:

i. Spreader means for tubular fabric comprising a pair of core or mandrel members adapted to fit within the fabric and having a predetermined thickness in a direction normal to the plane of the spread fabric imparting predetermined tautness thereto, a following spreading means carried by said members and having less thickness in said normal direction so that the fabric passing over said following spreading means is relatively loose and limp, and driving means engaging said fabric at the side edges of said members and peripherally shaped to conform to the edges of said members.

2. Spreader means for tubular fabric comprising a pair of core and mandrel members adapted to fit within the fabric and-having a predetermined thickness in a direction normal to .the plane of the spread fabric imparting predetermined tautness thereto, entrance and discharge spreading means carried at each end of said members and having less thickness in said normal direction so that the fabric as it approaches and recedes from said mandrel members is relatively loose and limp, and driving means eng ng said fabric at the side edges of said members and peripherally shaped to conform to the edges of said members.

3. A method of feeding tubular fabric comprising spreading said fabric laterally into flat laterally distended form, maintaining said fabric freely drawn in flat distended form for a substantial distance so that the center portions of the fabric adjust themselves relatively to the side portions without interference, then expandingsaid fabric in a direction normal to the plane of said distension and while so expanded engaging the edge portions of the fabric by a driven edge roll at a point on each side and feeding the full fabric by said engagement, then flattening said fabric in said normal direction and maintaining it a freely drawn in laterally distended form so that the center and side portions of the fabric readjust themselves, said drive being so controlled as to bring the center and side portions of the fabric into desired transverse alinement at a predetermined p'oint.

4. A method of feeding tubular fabric comprising stretching said fabric laterally into flat laterally distended form, maintaining said fabric freely drawn in flat distended form for a substantial distance so that the center portions progress with a lead relative to the side portions, then expanding said fabric in a, direction normal to the plane of said distension and while so expanded feeding said side portions ahead of said center portions so that said side portions have a lead with relation to the center portions, and then flattening said fabric in said normal direction and maintaining said fabric freely drawn in laterally distended form and progressively decreasing said lead of said side portions to bring the side portions and center portions into transverse alinement at a predetermined point.

5. Spreader means for tubular fabric compris ing a pair of core or mandrel members adapted to fit within the fabric and having a predetermined thickness in a direction normal to the plane of the spread fabric imparting predetermined tautness thereto, a stationary entering spreading means carried by and extending a substantial distance beyond said members, having less thickness in said normal direction and acting to enter and laterally extend the fabric so that the fabric passing over said initial spreading means is relatively loose and limp and driving means engaging said fabric at the side edges of said core or mandrel members and peripherally shaped to conform to the edges of said members.

6. Spreader means for tubular fabric comprising a core or mandrel positioned within the fabric strip and adapted to laterally distend and transversely expand the fabric in a direction normal to the lateral distension, a pair of driven rolls one at each edge of said mandrel, said -mandrel against displacement and act as the feeding means drawing the full fabric over said mandrel, and means for rotating said rolls to advance said full fabric over the mandrel by propulsion of said edge portions of said fabric solely at the given point of support of the mandrel by said rolls, said mandrel floating within said fabric strip so that said fabric is freely drawn on to the mandrel and delivered therefrom.

7. Spreader means for tubular fabric comprising a pair of supporting and driven rolls one at each side, a pair of transversely adjustable core or mandrel members connected together and positioned within the fabric strip, said rolls and mandrel members having interfltting edge portions so that said rolls support and hold said mandrel members against lateral transverse and longitudinal movement and act as the feeding means drawing the full fabric over said mandrel members, means for adjusting said rollsrela- 'tively to said mandrel members, and means for rotating said rolls to advance said full fabric over the mandrel members by propulsion of the edge portions of the fabric solely at the given point of support of the mandrel by said rolls; said mandrel floating within said fabric strip so that the said fabric is freely drawn on to the mandrel members and delivered therefrom.

8. Spreading apparatus for tubular fabric comprising a spreader adapted to be located within a traveling fabric tube for spreading the tube in a lateral direction, driven rolls including one roll at each lateral margin of the spreader, said rolls and the lateral margins of the spreader having interflttlng edges formed so that the rolls support and hold the-spreader against transverse displacement and act as feeding means drawing the fabric over the spreader; and means for rotating the rolls to advance the fabric over the spreader by propulsion of the edge portions of by means of concavo-convex interfitting juxtaposed edge portions of the drive rolls and spreader arranged to support the spreader on the rolls and to propel the fabric along the spreader by engagement with the rolls.

10. Spreading apparatus for tubular fabric comprising a spreader adapted to be positioned in a traveling fabric tube for spreading the tube in a lateral direction; driven rolls engaging the lateral margins of the fabric for propelling said.

fabric along the spreader, said rolls and the juxtaposed margins of the spreader having interfitting edge portions arranged to hold and support the spreader against transverse and longitudinal displacement, including means bearing against at least one of said rolls through the fabric at longitudinally spaced points.

11. Spreading apparatus for tubular fabric comprising a spreader adapted to be positioned within a traveling fabric tube to spread the tube in a lateral direction, rolls engaging the lateral margins of the fabric to propel said fabric along the spreader, said spreader having opposite longitudinally concave marginal portions each bearing axially against an interfitting operative face of a roll at points on both sides of a plane through the roll axis normal to the direction of fabric travel, arranged to hold and support the spreader in predetermined relation to the rolls during operation.

12. Spreading apparatus for tubular fabric comprising a spreader adapted to be positioned within a traveling fabric tube to spread said tube in a lateral direction, driven roller means engaging opposite lateral edges of the fabric to propel said fabric along the spreader, and cooperating roller means on the opposite edges of the spreader interfitting with the driven roller means to provide support for the spreader during operation, one of said roller means including a plurality of rollers coacting with a single roller of the interfltting roller means to provide interengagement at spaced points on said roller adapted to prevent longitudinal movement of the spreader.

13. A substantially horizontal spreader means for tubular fabric comprising a spreader adapted to be located within a traveling fabric tube for distending and flattening the tube in a transverse direction, a pair of driven rolls one at each edge of said spreader, said rolls and spreader having interfitting edges formed so that said rolls support and hold said spreader against vertical displacement and act as feeding means drawing the fabric over the spreader, and means for rotating said rolls to advance said fabric over the spreader by propulsion of said edge portions of said fabric by said rolls solely at the given points of support of the spreader, said spreader floating within said fabric tube so that said fabric is freely drawn onto the spreader and delivered therefrom.

SAMUEL COHN. 

